By Jake Donovan

The fight that Claudio "The Matrix" Marrero accepted as an alternative to the one he really wanted comes with a new wrinkle.

An 11th hour replacement was secured for the featherweight contender, as the Miami-based Dominican now faces countryman Luis Hinojosa in preliminary action this Sunday at Ford Ampitheatre in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York.

The bout comes in supporting capacity to the NBC-televised main event between unbeaten Errol Spence Jr and veteran Leonard Bundu. Marrero had to force his way on the show but was nearly scratched after previously scheduled opponent, unbeaten Derrick Murray withdrew due to cut sustained on his right wrist.

"It's crazy," head trainer Herman Caicedo told krikya360.com of efforts to keep his fighter active. "Now we got guys slitting their wrists just to get out of fighting Matrix."

Marrero (20-1, 14KOs) has been in hot pursuit of a rematch with featherweight titlist Jesus Cuellar, whom handed the Dominican boxer his lone loss in Aug. '13.

Efforts to secure a sequel have proven futile, with Marrero instead seeking elimination bouts to mandate such a bout. That led to his negotiation all year with the camp of interim titlist Carlos Zambrano, who has since signed with Mayweather Promotions and will likely be steered in another direction.

Instead he prepares for a last-minute opine t will looking to extend his current six-fight win streak.

Hinojosa (28-9, 17KOs) is coming off of a one-round No-Contest versus unbeaten Luis Rosa this past June. The bout followed a knockout win over another boxer named Luis Rosa last September.

Twitter: @JakeNDaBox_v2